Ecumenical Apostasy:The Catholic Church and the Emergent Social Justice Gospel

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…” 1 Tim 4:1

The word of God is clear that during the “latter times,” some (or many) will depart from the faith. If we read the word of God, we’ll find that even during the time that the Apostles Paul and John were alive, there were heretics that were already deceiving others and infiltrating the church. Some people were just flat out false teachers, and others were those who had started out right but later departed from the faith. Since that time, this “departing from the faith” has continued and in these last days has only increased as the scriptures said it would. Yet today, I believe it’s much more deceptive than probably at any other time. If one does not know the word of God, it can be very easy to be deceived, especially since so many are preaching and teaching about Jesus. Yet not every Jesus that is being preached about today is the Jesus of the Bible nor is he the one who is currently sitting at the right hand of God. Nothing could be more dangerous than believing on a Jesus that doesn’t exist and cannot save. Yet that is the very condition of multitudes of people today. Not only are people starting out in this deception, but many who started out well are apostatizing and embracing a gospel that’s not found in the scriptures. Unfortunately, I know many people like this today.

DREAM ABOUT APOSTASY

Just recently, the Lord has brought this whole topic back into mine and my wife Lisa’s lives. A few months ago, the Lord gave Lisa a prophetic dream about a man we used to fellowship with. He was a “leader” at the church where Lisa and I came to know the Lord. In Lisa’s dream, this man was committing adultery with a harlot. Not only was he committing adultery with a harlot, but he didn’t care that he was doing so. (In the Bible, any time Israel began to worship foreign gods, the God of Heaven would compare Israel to one who is committing adultery with a harlot – it’s a spiritual thing, not physical). Shortly after that, she had a couple more dreams about this man, but I don’t feel compelled to share the details of those dreams. I did, however, think it was odd that the Lord gave her several dreams about this man, because we hadn’t had contact with him in years since he moved to New England. A few months later, I came to find out from a brother (without my asking) that this man is now attending a Catholic Church. I looked up his ministry online and noticed he has several links to promote both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian sites. Not only were these false religions being linked to in a positive light, but the ministry also has a focus on what I (and many others) call a “Social Justice Gospel” – which I’ll get into more later. As I looked over everything, I was and wasn’t shocked at the same time. I wasn’t shocked because the seeds of this apostasy were sown years ago during my time at my former church. But I was surprised at the level of apostasy that one could embrace, especially by one that seemed to have started out well. All of this confirmed what the Lord had shown Lisa. I’m confident this individual will receive a copy of this letter/post. I don’t have high hopes that this individual will repent (though I would rejoice if he did) for endorsing practices and teachings that blaspheme the name of Christ or that he will repent for leading others astray. I do, however, hope that some people who are caught up in this error, or who are just starting to be influenced by it, might see it for what it really is and escape from being deceived into believing another Gospel that preaches “another Jesus.”

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8)

In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul rebukes and corrects the church for mixing the old covenant law with new covenant faith in Christ. The church is Galatia believed in the Lord Jesus, but they were adding to the simple faith that they were taught by the Apostles. Though they had started out in the Spirit, they were now seeking to be justified by their works by coming back under the law. In fact, Paul says in Galatians 4:19 that he is travailing AGAIN until Christ is formed in them. This Gospel that they had embraced was not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ but “another” Gospel. It is a Gospel that cannot save any man but only bring destruction to their soul. It’s a very deceptive Gospel because it has so many things in common with the true Gospel. Both Gospels preach that the word of God became Man; both preach the virgin birth; both preach the sinless life of Christ; both preach the death of Christ; and both preach the resurrection of Christ from the dead. The only difference is that one adds obedience to the law as a requirement to be justified in God’s eyes instead of simple faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. To many, it may seem like a minor issue, something not to be divided over. I mean, after all, they believe in so much of the truth as it relates to Jesus Christ, surely God accepts them! Yet Paul tells the Galatians that they have fallen from grace. In Galatians 1:8, Paul says that whoever has preached this gospel – “Let them be accursed.” The word accursed means “to ban or excommunicate.” Paul says by the Spirit of God that these men are not part of the body of Christ and in fact are deceivers who are preaching another Gospel. In fact, Paul says, “though WE or an ANGEL from heaven preach any other Gospel to you..” It didn’t matter how many good works Paul had, how much he had labored in the Gospel, or how much of the world he had traveled preaching Christ; he says if “I” preach to you this “other” gospel, “I” am accursed. Paul makes the point that he is trying to communicate very clear, doesn’t he? He doesn’t want there to be any confusion if anyone, no matter who they are or how big their ministry and influence is or how great the “good works” they do are – even in the name of Jesus; if they preach another Gospel, they are accursed.

With such a CLEAR admonition, warning, and rebuke by the Spirit of God through the Apostle Paul, it’s a wonder today that so many accept those of the Roman Catholic faith as brethren in Christ. Let me be clear from the beginning by stating that those of the Roman Catholic faith are not Christians, and if they pass from this life believing in the teachings and the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church, they will suffer the eternal wrath of God by having put their faith in another Gospel, which is no Gospel at all. Before I go into some of the false teachings of the Catholic Church, I want to point out just how seriously God takes His Word. In the book of Exodus, in the Ten Commandments, God says that He will not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in vain:

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

“And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” (Exodus 31:18)

If you take the Lord’s name in vain, blaspheme His name, God will not hold you guiltless. Obviously, the Lord takes this very seriously since it’s one of the commandments that He etched into stone with His own finger. But we find out in the book of Psalms that God has magnified (or honors) His Word even above His name.

“I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” (Psalm 138:2)

Obviously, God’s Word and His name are interrelated, but these passages show just how serious God is about His word. When an individual or a religious organization maligns and corrupts the Word of God, can it be any less serious than blaspheming the name of God? It was the Word of God that became flesh; we are sanctified by the truth (Word); and as the scripture says “God’s Word is Truth.” So let’s briefly take a look at some of the teachings of the Catholic church and compare them with the Truth – the Word of God.

1. Catholicism Teaches: We are told that “the sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice”; (CCC, 1367); that it is an unbloody offering that is propitiatory, (CCC, 1367); that it can make reparation of sins, (CCC, 1414); and is to be considered a true and proper sacrifice (The Catholic Encyclopedia, topic: “Sacrifice of the Mass”).

So in essence, the Lord Jesus Christ is re-sacrificed week after week. Whether Catholics acknowledge it or not, it is a re-sacrificing of Christ because it is said to make “reparations for sin.” But what does the word of God teach?

“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Heb. 7:26, 27)

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb. 9:28) “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:” (Heb. 10:9, 10)

It’s pretty clear. Christ was sacrificed once for sin…once for all time. The Lord is not re-sacrificed week after week, regardless of what the Catholic Church teaches. What a blasphemous thing to say the Lord’s one sacrifice wasn’t enough but that He must be re-sacrificed week after week, in clear denial of what the scripture teaches.

2. The Catholic church teaches that Mary is Co-redeemer with Christ.

“…at the foot of the cross of our Saviour (Jn.19:26), Mary’s intense sufferings, united with those of her Son, as Pope John Paul II tells us, were, “also a contribution to the Redemption of us all” (Salvifici Doloris, n.25). Because of this intimate sharing in the redemption accomplished by the Lord, the Mother of the Redeemer is uniquely … referred to by Pope John Paul II and the Church as the “Co-redemptrix.” (petition by Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici).”

So apparently, because Mary suffered such intense agony seeing her Son crucified, she played a part and helped in the redeeming of all believers in Jesus Christ. What that means is that without Mary’s suffering, the sacrifice of Christ would not have been sufficient since she is supposed to have helped with our redemption. In other words, Christ alone is not enough.

However, despite what the Catholic church teaches, the word of God is clear:

“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Heb. 1:3)

Christ alone, through his suffering and death, purged our sins. Mary played absolutely no part in our redemption. The scripture says:

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; andthe LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5, 6)

Only Christ bore our sins, and only He accomplished our redemption. Mary’s suffering and grief played no part in our redemption. If you look at the verse the Catholics quote to show her sufferings, it’s John 19:26:

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:25-27)

It is without a doubt that Mary was in grief as her Son was crucified. But if you read these verses, you will see that is not even the context! Jesus is telling John to take care of his mother, which is exactly what verse 27 says. Very simple…yet the Catholic Church would have you believe otherwise. And let’s just say Mary’s grief made her a co-redeemer. Wouldn’t the apostle John in these verses, the one whom Jesus loved, also be grieving? Maybe he helped in our redemption as well! I read another explanation by Catholics that says Mary is a co-redeemer because she was used by God to help Christ accomplish His mission. Yet that would mean that even Herod and Pilate are also co-redeemers, because without their sending Christ to the cross, Jesus would not have been crucified, and thus we would still be in our sins! It’s all totally absurd. The Catholic Church is twisting and adding to the word of God to elevate Mary to a status the Bible never does. What blasphemy!

3. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary is also our mediator. Not that she intercedes before the Father, but that she intercedes before Christ on our behalf. Of course, this is another teaching that is never found in scripture. Search the whole of the Bible and you’ll never find it.. Nor will you ever find any reference to any Apostle or saint praying to anyone other than God or Christ. You’ll only learn about this anti-biblical doctrine from the Catholic Church. Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we have direct access to the Father through Jesus. What a blessing! Some Catholics say that Mary’s intercession persuades Christ to act on our behalf. That’s disgusting. Christ loves His church more than any of us ever could. It’s not as if Christ is in heaven denying our needs, but then He sees Mary asking on our behalf, and of course, He could never refuse His mother; therefore He has pity on us and changes His mind. Yet Catholicism would have you believe that these “special” graces come from Mary pleading before her Son on our behalf…something Christ could never deny. Thankfully, the Apostles and Saints in the New Testament never prayed this way and understood what the New Covenant was.

4. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived and therefore was sinless. (Also, I’ll make a reference to Eastern Orthodox Churches here. They don’t believe that Mary was immaculately conceived, but they believe she was sinless by her own free will!) Thankfully no one who reads the Bible would ever come to these conclusions. The scriptures teach:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)

All people, without exception, have sinned before God, including Mary. Mary herself said God was her Savior. Those who have no sin do not need to be saved from anything.

Again, the sinlessness of Mary is a doctrine you’ll never find in the Bible.

5. The Catholic Church also calls Mary “The Queen of Heaven.” They say that because since Jesus is a king and Mary was His earthly mother, she must be the queen of heaven. Again, you’ll never find this in the Word of God. The only reference to the queen of heaven is actually quite negative. It’s found in Jeremiah:

“Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jeremiah 7:17,19)

The queen of heaven here is called another god, and the worship of her makes God very angry. That is exactly what Catholicism does. It makes Mary into another god and provokes God to anger. Catholics will deny their “worship” of Mary, but their actions prove otherwise. (I went to Catholic School for two years growing up.. I know they worship Mary.)

6. The Catholic Church practices vain, repetitious prayer in direct disobedience to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus said:

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matt 6:7, 8)

Jesus says speaking in vain repetitions is something the HEATHEN do. And clearly, when Catholics repeat the “Hail Mary” and pray the rosary beads over and over and over again, they are indeed heathen that are praying vain repetitions. Praying to Mary, one who cannot answer prayer or save, is certainly praying in vain!

7. The Catholic Church calls their priests “Fathers” and the Pope “Holy Father.” Yet the Lord Jesus says:

“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt. 23:9-12) When Jesus says call no man your father, he is not talking about earthly fathers. We know this because God Himself calls men fathers in the word of God. It’s very simple to see. Just do a word search on the word “father.” When Jesus says call no man teacher, He is not saying there are not teachers in the body of Christ, because God has ordained teachers in the five-fold ministry. Jesus is talking about men using these titles and elevating themselves into positions that place them over the body of Christ, almost as “special men” who have better access to God. That was exactly the attitude of the Pharisees, whom Jesus continually rebuked. What’s behind it all is the heart. Jesus is telling them that they are all BROTHERS. Jesus is coming against what would later be known as the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. The word Nicolaitans means to “conquer the laity.” It is giving men unbiblical authority over other members of the body of Christ. This whole unbiblical system is most easily visible in the Catholic Church. From the unbiblical Pope, who is supposed to be Christ’s representative on earth, to the calling of priests Fathers/Teachers in direct violations of the teachings of Jesus. They practice an authoritative structure that RULES over the body of Christ.

(Just to be fair there are countless Protestant denominations that do the exact same thing – it’s just more deceptive.)

If you want to know how Jesus feels about this system, just see what He says about it in the book of Revelation:

“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Rev. 2:6)

“So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” (Rev. 2:15)

Jesus hates the deeds and the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

8. The Catholic Church teaches that certain men are only declared Saints after they have been dead and have performed at least two miracles.

Here are the steps that must be followed in the process of canonization:

1. To begin a cause, it is necessary for at least 5 years to have passed since the death of the candidate. This is to allow greater balance and objectivity in evaluating the case and to let the emotions of the moment dissipate.

2. The bishop of the diocese in which the person died, whose beatification is being requested, is responsible for beginning the investigation. Witnesses are called before the tribunal to recount concrete facts on the exercise of Christian virtues considered heroic, that is, the theological virtues: faith, hope and charity, and the cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude, and others specific to his state in life. In addition, all documents regarding the candidate must be gathered. At this point he is entitled to the title of Servant of God.

3. Once the diocesan investigation is finished, the acts and documentation are passed on to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

4. For the beatification of a confessor, a miracle attributed to the Servant of God, verified after his death, is necessary.

5. For canonization, another miracle is needed, attributed to the intercession of the Blessed and having occurred after his beatification. Canonization is understood as the concession of public worship in the Universal Church. Pontifical infallibility is involved. With canonization, the Blessed acquires the title of Saint.”

(Take from: http://www.catholic-pages.com/saints/process.asp)

That’s a pretty lengthy process, found nowhere in the pages of scripture. In the Bible, God calls those who believe in Jesus, while living, “Saints” and “Men of God.” There is no process needed. No verification by the Church, no need to perform any miracle, just saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 26:10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests;

Rom. 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Catholic Church continues to practice the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, even when men are dead. They, by their own fleshly judgment, elevate certain men and women to the status of Sainthood, making them higher in status where they are almost worshiped by the other “believers.” The scripture though is quite clear… believers in the Lord Jesus are ALL called “Saints.”

(The Eastern Orthodox Church has a similar practice but just doesn’t require a miracle from the dead believer – it is just as apostate.)

9. What about Christian Martyrs? A good portion of the Martyrs in heaven were sent there by the Catholic Church under the order of wicked popes who were supposed to be representing Christ. You can pick up a copy of “Foxes Book of Martyrs” and look at the history of the Catholic Church and their persecution of the people of God. These executions of true believers were ordered by the “infallible” pope, who they say is the representative of Christ on earth. I’m sure a good portion of the souls under the altar of God in heaven, which were put there by the Catholic Church, are crying out to God for Him to take vengeance on this wicked organization.

“And when he had opened the fifth seal,I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:9, 10)

Where to stop? I haven’t even touched on the Pope (in full), Purgatory, confession, infant baptism, or the Catechism that states that Muslims and Christians worship the same God, etc. It just goes on and on. Basically, it comes down to this. Just about everything the Bible says not to do, the Catholic Church does. So when the word of God is SO clear on all these issues, how do so many people get deceived into believing Catholics are Christians and that the Catholic Church is just another denomination? Very easy. Two words: “Good – Works.” People today see all the orphanages, soup kitchens, hospitals, outreaches to the poor, and other charity missions; and because of these “good works” think that Catholics must be brethren, even though they preach a different Gospel. They look at women like Mother Theresa and say she must have been a Christian because of the works she did. But let’s briefly take a look at mother Theresa and the Word of God.

Mother Theresa is sort of the social justice icon of those who are apostatizing into this ideology/theology today. I remember her being promoted in the church I used to attend in Dallas, TX. Before we went on mission trips, our teams were made to watch a video of mother Theresa. It was a video showing her service to the poor. I remember one scene in which she wanted to go into a war-torn area, so she prayed to Mary to make a way for her. The next day, the war died down, and was able to go in. It was totally blasphemous. But the good works she was doing had blinded the minds of the leaders at our fellowship, and it began to sow the seeds of apostasy without them even knowing it. It wasn’t too long before she was held up as a model to follow. And even today, many of the people from that fellowship still idolize her as a model Christian and have jumped on the bandwagon of the social justice gospel. But remember what the apostle Paul said:

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Gal 1:8)

Again, Paul said that even if he, one of the chief apostles, one who wrote most of the New Testament, even if he began to preach another gospel…let him be accursed. It didn’t matter how many people Paul had preached to, how many churches he had established, how many good works he had done, how many people he had led to the Lord, or how much he has suffered for Jesus name. Even if this beloved Apostle was to preach another gospel, he would be accursed. All of his works amounted to nothing if what he preached wasn’t true. If the Gospel was corrupt, then all the works were corrupt as well. That is the truth in Jesus Christ. Works in and of themselves prove nothing. The Red Cross has more “good works” than a lot of people, yet that does not make them right in God’s sight. The Salvation Army does a lot of “good” today, in that they help distribute goods to the poor. Yet the organization as a whole is filled with people who’ve never met the Lord and are dead in their sins. The Masonic Shriners build and run countless charity hospitals, but they do not believe the gospel and are still without Christ and His salvation. Though a real believer will maintain good works… good works are not a SURE sign that one is indeed a child of God. Let’s look at some of the statements that Mother Theresa has made, because salvation is first and foremost about what you believe and who you believe in:

In her speech at the Worldwide Retreat for Priests, October, 1984, in the Paul VI Audience Hall in Vatican City, Mother Theresa made the following statements: “At the word of a priest, THAT LITTLE PIECE OF BREAD BECOMES THE BODY OF CHRIST, the Bread of Life. Then you give this living Bread to us, so that we too might live and become holy” (Mother Theresa, cited in Be Holy: God’s First Call to Priests Today, edited by Tom Forrest, C.Ss.R., foreword by Msgr. John Magee, South Bend, Indiana: Greenlawn Press, 1987, p. 108).

“I was so struck with the thought that ONLY WHEN THE PRIEST IS THERE CAN WE HAVE OUR ALTAR AND OUR TABERNACLE AND OUR JESUS. ONLY THE PRIEST CAN PUT JESUS THERE FOR US” (Mother Theresa, Be Holy, pp. 111).

In her speech before the United Nations in October 1985, she said, “No color, no religion, no nationality should come between us – we are all children of God. … When we destroy an unborn child, we destroy God” (Christian News, Nov. 11, 1985, p. 17).

The April 7-13, 1990, issue of Radio Times told the story of Mother Theresa sheltering an old Hindu priest. “She nursed him with her own hands and helped him to die reconciled with his own gods.”

When Mother Theresa died, her longtime friend and biographer Naveen Chawla said that he once asked her bluntly, “Do you convert?” She replied, “Of course I convert. I convert you to be a better Hindu or a better Muslim or a better Protestant. Once you’ve found God, it’s up to you to decide how to worship him” (“Mother Teresa Touched other Faiths,” Associated Press, Sept. 7, 1997).

“There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I’ve always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic. We believe our work should be our example to people. We have among us 475 souls – 30 families are Catholics and the rest are all Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs – all different religions. But they all come to our prayers” (http://www.ewtn.com/MotherTeresa/words.htm).

(These are just a few of her quotes. There are quite a few more that I could post to show what she really believed: her universalist gospel, her worship of Mary, her visions from Mary, etc. To be fair, you can also find quotes by Mother Theresa that seem to radiate Jesus. However, you have to look at the whole picture, and when you do, you see what she really believed).

Clearly, Mother Theresa believed and taught another gospel. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ does not teach that the communion bread makes us holy or that only a priest can put Jesus before us or that there are many ways to God instead of Christ alone. Mother Theresa did not preach the gospel to dying sinners. She even stated that she helped Hindus become better Hindus and Muslims become better Muslims.

Hindus are idol worshipers who worship many gods which in reality are not gods but demons. Paul said in 1 Cor. 10:19, 20:

“What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons”

So mother Theresa wanted to make demon worshipers better demon worshipers. What did Paul say when he was in Athens and saw the idolatry of the people? Did he try to convince them to become better idol worshipers? No, Paul said:

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Paul sought to lead men out of their idolatry and into faith in Jesus Christ. Why? Because Paul cared for their souls. He knew that apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ, men would die in their sins and justly suffer the eternal wrath of God. He never taught anyone to pray the rosary, say “Hail Mary,” or any other such nonsense. Paul was a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mother Theresa picked up scores of dying people off the streets and helped them die more comfortably. But if you pick up a dying Hindu off the street and give him a bed and some food, you’ve helped ease some of his physical suffering (which is a good thing). However, if you never share with him the Gospel (the good news of salvation), and he dies, then you’ve only eased his pain a little before he suffers under God’s wrath. That is what Mother Theresa spent her life doing. What could be more wicked than supposedly having the truth that will free men of their sins and reconcile them to God and holding it back from them? But of course, Mother Theresa didn’t believe that. If a Hindu found his way to god through Hinduism, then that was his path to god, according to Mother Theresa. Mother Theresa helped people die in their sins without offering them any real hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Mother Theresa preached a “different” gospel and followed “another” Jesus…..the Jesus of the Catholic Church. She is not an example for anyone to follow and is exactly what the apostle Paul warns us against in Galatians 1:8.

Unfortunately, because of her good works, multitudes of people have been deceived into accepting her and the Catholic faith as the true Christian faith, when in reality the Catholic Church is nothing more than a counterfeit of the true Church of Jesus Christ. It should come as no surprise to anyone that an organization that teaches about Jesus, in the way that the Catholic Church does, is in fact from the devil. Paul said:

2 Cor. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Cor. 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The Catholic Church, acting as a minister of righteousness, deceives multitudes of people into believing a faith that cannot save. It is a Harlot Church, and unless those who are part of it repent and put their faith in the Christ of the Bible, they will perish, having believed a lie. And unfortunately, because people have a low view of God’s word and a high view of good works, the life of Mother Theresa has been used as one example of this new “social justice gospel” that is emerging into the “Christian world.” It is a growing work of the devil that will lead even more people into apostasy and away from true faith in Jesus Christ.

THE EMERGENT SOCIAL JUSTICE GOSPEL

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

I use the term “Emergent” social justice gospel because this seems to be the new “cause” of those in the emergent post-modern church. In all reality though, the social justice gospel is something organizations like the Catholic Church have preached for quite a while. This new gospel no longer focuses on preaching the truths about salvation and the kingdom of God as the primary focus but instead focuses on solving social issues and bringing “justice” to the downcast, the poor, and those that are marginalized by society. And in some ways, it’s hard to even quantify, because in some circles it even extends to caring for the environment, going green, and combating global warming. This other gospel moves from primarily being vertical between God and man to a horizontal Gospel that is more between man and man. It is no longer a message to be declared to those who are perishing but is now a movement based on righting the wrongs and injustices in the world in the name of Jesus.

What I have found in the attitude of those who preach this new “gospel” is that they believe and act as if they have found the “new,” progressive way of living out faith in Jesus Christ, that this is the revolutionary way of following Jesus. It’s no more about that outdated method of preaching the Gospel to sinners, because they have now found out what the gospel really is…bringing justice to the world. To them, it is a way to engage society and show the love of Jesus by caring for the things they care for. It is more about what you do than what you believe. It is a call to ‘transform” society by bringing about justice and taking up the causes of the world and making them causes of Christ. In some ways, the way it’s presented can sound so good. After all, what’s wrong with wanting to end child labor or help the environment (going green), or feed the poor in Africa, or fix the world housing problem, etc.? These all seem like noble causes, BUT are these gospel causes? Are these the activities our God has called us to labor in and for? Has God called us to walk hand in hand with the world, take up their causes, and solve them in the name of Jesus Christ? Or is the Bible correct in that it calls us to something much more glorious – reconciling men to God, helping men find everlasting life, and warning them to flee the wrath to come?

THE GREAT COMMISSION – THE EMERGENT SOCIAL JUSTICE VERSION

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to right the wrongs in the world, save the environment, end poverty, create eco-friendly green zones in the inner city, end child labor, keep people from buying Chinese goods, and take up any other social justice issue you can think of, and preach the gospel without words as much as you can; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mat. 28:19, 20 The Emergent Version)

That, in fact, is the great commission for this new movement that is being pushed in Jesus’s name. This gospel focuses on making men and women “better” and improving their situation in the world’s eyes but most often fails at making them right and justified in God’s eyes. As a man named Leonard Ravenhill said: “Jesus did not come to make bad men good – He came to make dead men live.” The gospel is not about righting the wrongs of the world but is about reconciling men to God. It is a message that is to be preached and declared to those who do not believe. It is primarily a message that is told through verbal words to other men (though it most definitely affects how we live). However, the preaching of the gospel is a foolish and outdated thing to this new breed of Christians. It is an ineffective way of communicating Jesus. But God, by His own divine will, has chosen this foolish way of saving men.

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:17, 18)

“For after thatin the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness ofpreaching to save them that believe.” (1 Cor. 1:21) It is this foolish way of preaching that God has chosen to save men. The scripture says the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish. Yet to many “new and enlightened” Christians, the preaching of the cross is also foolishness. And if God’s methods are foolishness to you, what can it mean other than that you are perishing?

REMOVING THE OFFENSE OF THE GOSPEL

What this new gospel comes down to is removing the offense of the gospel. It, in essence, seeks to make the gospel more palatable to non-believers. Everyone wants to have the world’s problems fixed. But what sinner, at least at first, wants to hear that apart from believing in Jesus Christ, they will perish in their sins? Who wants to hear that they are currently under the wrath of God (John 3:36), and their only hope to be reconciled to God is by believing in Jesus Christ? Who wants to hear that Jesus is the ONLY way to God (John 14:6)? You see, people love to preach about Jesus. Everyone loves to preach about a Jesus who loves sinners (or the marginalized) and helps the poor. What people don’t like preaching about is the offense that comes with preaching Jesus. They don’t like preaching about the cross. It’s this preaching of the “cross” that is foolishness to them (1 Cor. 1:18), and in excluding these truths from the gospel they preach, they become enemies of the cross.

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” (Phil. 3:18, 19)

The gospel shifts from minding eternal heavenly things to minding earthly things. So instead of preaching the whole gospel to sinners, they try to “woo” them into Christ with their good works and care for this world and the issues of the world. Yet you’ll never find any of the Apostles, acting on the commands of Jesus Christ, taking up the causes of the world and making them their own but “in Jesus’s Name.” Instead, if you read through the book of Acts, you’ll find a company of faithful followers of Jesus preaching and teaching the way of salvation and things concerning the kingdom of God. They continually preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and call men to REPENTANCE AND FAITH. Christ is preached as the “only way to be saved,” and men are exhorted to save themselves from “this perverse generation” and to “flee the wrath to come.” It is a Gospel message that brings salvation to those who believe and, many times, persecution by those who don’t. It is not a marriage with the world or a trying to better the world or our communities; it is a call to be saved from this world that will ultimately be destroyed and be made anew by God. It is this exclusive, narrow, black and white, offensive message that many so-called Christians cannot stomach today. And because it brings offense, and because so many people don’t like it, it must not be the right way to preach Jesus or be the whole gospel. Therefore, we now have a social justice gospel that preaches JUSTICE instead of SALVATION.

ENVIRONMENTALISM AND THE GOSPEL?

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:7)

“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:12, 13)

It is no surprise that those who have embraced this Social Justice Gospel would jump on the environmentalism bandwagon. After all, hasn’t God, in Genesis, called us to be stewards of the earth? Shouldn’t we be leading the way in going green, stopping global warming, and combating climate change? Maybe if we tackle these issues, people will want to hear about Jesus! It’s really absurd. If anyone reads the entire New Testament, they will see that God is not interested in preserving this fallen earth. In fact, God in His great wisdom and plan is going to destroy or “renovate” this earth into a new earth “wherein righteousness dwells.” This earth is just temporary until God has completely accomplished His will. God is not concerned with the preservation of this earth but with the salvation of the people who live on it. That’s why the saints in the New Testament were focused on eternal things and not earthly things. That’s why they preached salvation in Jesus Christ and didn’t labor to set up eco-friendly green zones in the inner cities. They believed what the Spirit of God said through the Apostle Paul:

“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:4)

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3)

They didn’t seek to better the conditions of this temporal home, where they were pilgrims and just passing through, they sought to prepare people for an eternal home that will never perish. Again, faithful servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I’m not saying we’re to be foolish and wasteful – we can use common sense. However, as believers, we are not to take up the cause of the world, that seems to change every ten or fifteen years anyway. The agenda set by the corrupt governments of the world is not to become the Christian’s agenda. We have a much higher calling than that!!

WHAT IS THE FRUIT OF THIS GOSPEL?

The fruit, or result, of this gospel is the dumbing down and a lowering of the standard of the Word of God. It removes the power of the Gospel, because the power is found in preaching (1 Cor. 1:18). It seeks to make men better and helps with their physical needs, yet leaves them unconverted and without Christ, never teaching them the full counsel of God. If you help every needy, poor, marginalized, downcast, or oppressed person on the earth and fail to teach them the truth of salvation that is found only in Jesus Christ, you will have done nothing for that person’s soul. You may make people feel better temporarily but leave them in a condemned state before God (much like Mother Theresa did). It may make bad men good, but it leaves dead men dead. It compromises the Church and teaches her to be busy with activities and causes other than what Christ has called us to. It causes the church to conform to the world, lets the world set the agenda of the church, and reduces the church to a powerless (cross-less), do good organization like the Red Cross.

WHERE DOES IT ALL LEAD?

Two words: “Ecumenical Apostasy.” This growing Social Justice Gospel is setting the stage for an even greater ecumenical apostasy. Because the focus is taken off the word of God and is instead centered on good works and social justice, it opens the doors for all those who call themselves Christians to unite, no matter what they believe. This is precisely what you see with the Catholic Church now being considered Christian by many, if not most, denominations. (Which is a shame because 50 years ago, Catholics were a group to be evangelized, not embraced). It takes the offense out of the gospel and allows the church to walk hand in hand with the world, being accepted by them and working together. You can already see this happening today. Many churches are now working together with local governments to solve social issues. Churches think this is a great victory in the world’s acceptance of the gospel and their “influence” on the world, yet it is a clear sign that the gospel is not being preached. When the gospel of the Lord Jesus is clearly preached, it leads to it either being accepted (salvation) or rejected. It leaves men with a clear understanding of their state before God without any apologies. The true gospel always brings division to some degree (Mat. 10:34). Yet this new gospel would never seek to bring division. That would be unloving and unkind. It seeks to offend no one and please everyone. After all, who could be against good works and social justice? Ultimately, as so-called believers continue to dumb down the gospel and lower God’s standard, the church will fall more and more into this ecumenical apostasy. All the lines of truth will be blurred for the sake of good works and social justice. In the end, it will lead to a visible church that walks hand in hand with the beast (government) and allows the unconverted world to set the agenda for the church. In other words, it’s another step into the full blown apostasy of the last days.

I can only hope and pray that some who read this will escape from this new deceptive gospel that is really no gospel at all. It is an appealing, feel-good counterfeit that is leading multitudes of people astray. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus:

“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mat. 7:14)

** Let me state, in coming against the social justice gospel, I am in no way coming against good works. As believers, we have been created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Eph. 2:10); we are to be rich in good works (1 Tim. 6:18), show ourselves as a pattern of good works (Titus 2:7), be zealous for good works (Titus 2:14); and we are to especially abound in good works towards our brethren in Christ. Good works follow and mark the life a of a believer in Jesus Christ. The difference is the good works of a believer are always founded on the truth of the Gospel and never diminish a faithful Gospel proclamation and witness.

** I also realize that this is not an in-depth explanation of these issues. It would take hundreds of pages to go into the false teachings of the Catholic Church and the Social Justice Gospel. I know I have only scratched the surface of these topics. I hope that even with this short article, God would open some eyes and cause people to re-evaluate what they believe with the word of God.

** Also, I have spoken somewhat strongly against the Catholic Mary (and rightly so). However, I am in no way belittling the Mary of the Bible. She was a blessed saint along with scores of other saints who followed and served the Lord.